The Nation : Nofziger Defense Rests in Lobbying Trial

The defense at Lyn Nofziger's trial on illegal lobbying charges rested without having the former White House aide testify. Defense attorney E. Lawrence Barcella said that Nofziger's testimony was unnecessary because it would not have addressed the "main issue" of whether the White House had sufficient interest in matters pursued by Nofziger for his lobbying to have been prohibited by an ethics law. Lawyers will make closing arguments today, after four weeks of testimony. U.S. District Judge Thomas A. Flannery again refused to dismiss the four felony counts against Nofziger, who is charged with violating a federal conflict-of-interest law that restricts lobbying by former government officials at the agencies where they worked. Mark A. Bragg, Nofziger's partner, is charged with aiding and abetting Nofziger on one of the alleged violations.